There are some serious signs that a Trump presidency will mean that higher education reform could take a big step back. As disappointing as no progress being made might be, losing what little we have made under the Obama Administration is simply disastrous. But that is just what the Washington Post has reported may happen.
In a recent article, The Post has questioned whether some key Obama regulations, like those that have offered students income-based repayment plans, could go out the window after Trump is inaugurated on January 20th.
Only time will tell what Trump's occupancy of the White House will hold for us, but it is never too early to contact your local Representative of Senator to voice your concerns about this and many other issues. It is time for us to stop taking a back seat in our democracy and assert ourselves as the decision-makers and not the governed!
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Bernie Sanders isn't Giving up and Neither Should You
Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) was recently interviewed by on "All Thing Considered" on National Public Radio (NPR). Sanders spoke about a number of topics, including the need to continue to fight for a reform of our nation's higher education system:
"Well, what we do now is rally millions of young Americans who are sick and tired of leaving school $30-, $50-, $100,000 in debt, and those who simply cannot afford to go to college, and say that in a competitive global economy, it is absolutely imperative that we make public colleges and universities' tuition free.
"And no matter how you fund it, it should be funded by progressive taxation, making clear that billionaires like Mr. Trump and his friends start paying their fair share of taxes, that large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes. ...
"How you deal with that issue is how you deal with all issues. We are gonna have to raise public consciousness, we're gonna have to, and what the political revolution is about — we've had some really good successes. Yeah, maybe a march on Washington.
It may be bombarding your congressman and your senator with emails, with phone calls to say, 'You know what, in America people have the right to get a higher education regardless of their income. And by the way, maybe there's something wrong when we are the only country on Earth not to guarantee health care to all people as a right.
"'Oh yeah, and while we're on the subject, how come we're the only major country not to provide paid family and medical leave? Oh yeah, and maybe we should deal with climate change because the scientific community tells us if we're not gonna deal with that, then the future of this planet is a very sorry future indeed.' "
If the Senator is not giving up in spite of the future administration's lack of concern for the issue and a legislature dominated by Republicans, I can't think of a reason why anyone else should.
Transcripts of the full interview can be viewed here.
"Well, what we do now is rally millions of young Americans who are sick and tired of leaving school $30-, $50-, $100,000 in debt, and those who simply cannot afford to go to college, and say that in a competitive global economy, it is absolutely imperative that we make public colleges and universities' tuition free.
"And no matter how you fund it, it should be funded by progressive taxation, making clear that billionaires like Mr. Trump and his friends start paying their fair share of taxes, that large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes. ...
"How you deal with that issue is how you deal with all issues. We are gonna have to raise public consciousness, we're gonna have to, and what the political revolution is about — we've had some really good successes. Yeah, maybe a march on Washington.
It may be bombarding your congressman and your senator with emails, with phone calls to say, 'You know what, in America people have the right to get a higher education regardless of their income. And by the way, maybe there's something wrong when we are the only country on Earth not to guarantee health care to all people as a right.
"'Oh yeah, and while we're on the subject, how come we're the only major country not to provide paid family and medical leave? Oh yeah, and maybe we should deal with climate change because the scientific community tells us if we're not gonna deal with that, then the future of this planet is a very sorry future indeed.' "
If the Senator is not giving up in spite of the future administration's lack of concern for the issue and a legislature dominated by Republicans, I can't think of a reason why anyone else should.
Transcripts of the full interview can be viewed here.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
What To Do Now?
I think it's safe to say that last week's election results came as a shock to many of us. More so, this is certainly a big blow to the cause of finding real solutions for the student debt crisis in America.
So where do we go from here? We need to continue to hold our representatives in Congress accountable for their actions in championing our causes. If you have not yet done so, write your local Congresswoman or man and plead with them to press the issue of student debt relief. If you have already contacted them, continue to do so, monthly, until they head your requests.
Many of us have grown to feel left out of our democratic process. We think that voting every two or four years is the only way we can get involved in government. But, we must remember that this government is based around the people holding their legislators responsible and ensuring that their needs are being met by them. If your representatives are not doing so, you must inform them.
We can also look to our local and state governments for real solutions to our struggles with students debt. If the bureaucratic mess that is Washington are unable to meet our needs, we need to the smaller forms of government that represent us for change and relief.
Times certainly seem bleak at this point, but with unification and organization, I believe we can still obtain the results to our woes that we seek.
So where do we go from here? We need to continue to hold our representatives in Congress accountable for their actions in championing our causes. If you have not yet done so, write your local Congresswoman or man and plead with them to press the issue of student debt relief. If you have already contacted them, continue to do so, monthly, until they head your requests.
Many of us have grown to feel left out of our democratic process. We think that voting every two or four years is the only way we can get involved in government. But, we must remember that this government is based around the people holding their legislators responsible and ensuring that their needs are being met by them. If your representatives are not doing so, you must inform them.
We can also look to our local and state governments for real solutions to our struggles with students debt. If the bureaucratic mess that is Washington are unable to meet our needs, we need to the smaller forms of government that represent us for change and relief.
Times certainly seem bleak at this point, but with unification and organization, I believe we can still obtain the results to our woes that we seek.
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